Composite shoe heel



Dec. 17, 1946. MARGOLIS 2,412,899

COMPOSITE SHOE HEEL Filed Aug. 8, 1945 ATTORIYIFY.

Patented Dec. 17, 1946 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMPOSITE SHOE HEEL I Michael Margolis, Newark, 1 Application August 8, 1945, Serial No. (509,563

This-invention relates primarily to elastic heels for boots and shoes, and a prime object of the invention is to provide a, novel and improved heel of this character which can be easily and quickly adjusted or moved relatively to the heel portion of the shoe so that as the elastic material wears away, for example at the rear outer zone, the heel may be adjusted or moved to replace said Worn portion with a relatively unworn-portion thereof, whereby the life of the heel shall be substantially prolonged and the appearance of the rear portion of the heel can be maintained neat and normal.

Another object isto provide such a heel which shall embody novel and improved features of construction such that said adjusting can be done and also the elastic heel can be replaced or changed by a relatively unskilled person, such as the average wearer.

A further object is to provide in a shoe or boot heel which shall comprise a novel and improved construction and combination of a relatively hard and rigid body portion or core to be secured to a shoe, and a relatively soft and elastic rim separably but firmly attachable to said body portion in any of several diiferent positions, whereby said rim can be easily and quickly moved so as to change the location of a Worn portion of said heel from a rear zone of the heel to, for example, the forward zone thereof, and at the same time an unworn portion of said rim can be located at said rear zone.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a shoe heel embodying my invention, showing the heel applied to a shoe.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view, on an enlarged scale of the heel shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a View partially in side elevation and partially in section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detached bottom plan View of the body portion of the heel.

Figure 5 is a side elevational View thereof.

Figure 6 is a detached top plan view of the elastic rim of the heel and Figure 7 is a partial side elevational view of the rim of the heel showing a portion thereof broken away on the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Specifically describing the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the reference character I designates the body portion of the heel having 5 Claims. (01. 36-46) 2 7 an elastic rim 2, separably applied to the edge portion thereof in encircling relation thereto, the body portion and rim being of such size and shape that when they are assembled together, the ensemble substantially conforms in plan to the rear portion 3 of the sole of a boot or shoe.

The body portion I may be variously shaped, but preferably it is generally rectangular and formed with broadly rounded corners; and while said body portion may be formed of any suitable relatively hard and rigid material such asleather, preferably it is composed of a moldedplastic composition. a

, The body portion 1- may be applied to the rear portion 3 of the wall of a, shoe in any suitable manner, but as shown, it is secured to the shoe by nails, 4-3Preferably the body portion l is preformed with openings 5 to receive the nails and a depression 6 is formed in the exposed side of the body portion so that the heads of the nails may be located below the plane of the surface of said side.

The body portion has a perimetral groove 1 in its edges in which the elastic rim 2 is seated, and the elastic rim is formed of suitable elastic material, for example rubber, and of such size and shape that it must be stretched in applying it to the body portion; and the inner peripheral surface of the elastic rim is shaped at 8 to correspond to the shape of the groove 1 in the body portion.

Preferably the elastic rim is molded in circular form as shown in Figures 6 and 7 and is stretched into roughly rectangular shape when it is applied to the body portion l as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

While the force incident to elasticity and stretching of the elastic rim probably is adequate to hold the rim against displacement from the body portion I, it is preferable to provide some positive means for preventing such displacement from the body portion I. As shown, one or more projections 19 are formed on the grooved edges of the body portion, and the elastic rim 2 has a plurality of sockets or recesses I0 to receive said projections when the rim is applied to the body portion as shown in Figure 3. If desired, these projections may be formed integral with the body portion or they may constitute headed pins molded or otherwise secured in the body portion; and they may be of any suitable shape.

The projections 9 may be located at various points on the edges of the body portion, and while it is not necessary, some of the pins are preferably at the rear edge of the body portion.

With this construction, it will be observed that a relatively unskilled person may easily remove and replace the elastic rim, and when one zone of the rim, for example the outer rear zone becomes Worn, the rim may be removed from the body portion, rotated so as to locate a substantially unworn portion at the outer zone of the heel and at the same time to move the worn portion to the forward or inner zone of the body portion l of the heel, where it will be practically invisible and will receive practically no additional wear.

The elastic rim may be moved successively into many different positions relatively to the body portion to compensate for wear and thereby prolong the life of the heel, and to maintain the heel neat in appearance.

The rim may be of any desired cross sectional shape, but preferably has its bottom or wearreceiving face H beveled outwardly as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 7 so as to more efiectually cushion the shocks of walking and prevent contact of the body portion of the heel with the surface being walked upon.

While I have shown the heel as embodying certain details of construction it should be understood that this is primarily for illustrating the principles of the invention and that many modifications and changes in the construction of the heel may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A heel comprising a. relatively rigid body portion of generally rectangular shape with rounded corners, and an elastic rim encircling said body portion and seated by inherent tension on the edges of said body portion, whereby 4 said rim can be rotated on said body portion perimetrally thereof, with the addition of releasably interlocking means between said body portion and said elastic rim.

2. A heel comprising a relatively rigid body portion of generally rectangular shape with rounded corners, and an elastic rim encircling said body portion and seated by inherent tension on the edges of said body portion, whereby said rim can be rotated on said body portion perimetrally thereof, the edges of said body portion and the inner periphery of said elastic rim having interlocking projections and recesses.

3. A heel comprising a body portion having grooves in its edges, an annular elastic vrim stretched around said body portion and seated in said grooves, and releasable interlocking,

means between said body portion and said elastic rim.

4. A heel comprising a body portion to be secured on a shoe, and an elastic rim mounted on the perimeter edges of said body portion for ad justment relatively thereto, the edges of said body portion and the inner p ph ry f Said elastic rim having interlocking projection-s and recesses.

5. A heel comprising a relatively rigid body portion of generally rectangular shape with rounded corners, and an elastic rim encircling said body portion and seated by inherent tension on the edges of said body portion so that said rim can be rotated on said body portion perimetrally thereof, said body portion having at least one projection on its edge and 'said elastic rim having at least one recess to receive said projection.

MICHAEL MARGOLISJ 1 

